Trust Us, Read This: 15 New Books We Recommend This Month

Fall is officially upon us, which means it's time to add some of the best books of the year to your to-read pile. From highly anticipated debuts written by up-and-coming authors to long-awaited novels by some of the most well-established writers in the industry, there are enough new books being published this month to keep even the most voracious of readers occupied for the better part of October. To narrow down your prospective reading list, we're weighing in with the titles we can't wait to get our hands on.

Just in time for cooler weather, we're recommending 15 new books worth reading this October. Spanning a must-read memoir about immigrating to America to a witty novel that's basically a "brilliant mashup of The Nest and Crazy Rich Asians," these are the hot-off-the-press reads that are actually worth your time. Ready to stock your shelves with the season's best reads? Keep scrolling to find out which books we're reading this month.

Nicole Chung, a Korean American who was raised by white adoptive parents in rural Oregon, uncovers painful family secrets in the search for her biological parents in this profound memoir. "This book should be required reading for anyone who has ever had, wanted, or found a family―which is to say, everyone," raves Celeste Ng, author of Little Fires Everywhere.

In just 11 brief stories, Mary-Lan Tan introduces readers to unforgettable characters, from a woman enthralled by the stories her boyfriend tells about his exes to a floundering artist on a date with a married couple. Nylon calls the unsettling and insightful collection "a razor-sharp example of the strange behaviors of human beings."

Garnering praise from renowned authors by the likes of Colson Whitehead and Hanif Abdurraqib, Impossible Owls is a short story collection that belongs on every book lover's shelf this month. On each page, Brian Phillips couples his unrelenting curiosity with his signature wit to pen a series of short essays that demand your attention.

Known as the voice of The Cut's beloved column "Ask Polly," Heather Havrilesky deftly tackles the various cultural forces that shape us in this collection of essays. Vulture calls the collection "a soothing and much-needed reminder to tap out of the digital jealousy game and give ourselves and others TLC."

"Here is a life story so unbelievable, it could only be true," writes Sandra Cisneros, best-selling author of The House on Mango Street. In this harrowing memoir, Reyna Grande recounts walking across the U.S.-Mexico border in search of her parents. However, once she's reunited with them, she doesn't find exactly what she was looking for.

Good and Mad traces the history of female fury, from the suffragettes who marched on Washington to the women at the forefront of the #MeToo movement. Rebecca Traister's "book is a hopeful, maddening compendium of righteous feminine anger, and the good it can do when wielded efficiently—and collectively," endorses Vanity Fair.

"In this evocative debut short story collection, Chaya Bhuvaneswar pulls readers deep into the psyches of women who are vulnerable and lost, dangerous and clever," according to HuffPost. Consider Bhuvaneswar one of the most original feminist voices in literature—you need to add this short story collection to your cart stat.

Described as a "complicated love letter to Washington D.C.," Camille Acker's collection of stories highlight black women who are confronted with the task of carving out space for themselves in America. "Acker shows that the lives of black girls and women are vast and varied, pushing back on the monolithic ways they are often portrayed," endorses Kirkus Reviews.

In Haruki Murakami's highly anticipated new novel, an artist stumbles upon a previously unseen painting by one of his peers and, in doing so, inadvertently opens up a mystery that begs to be unraveled. "Murakami's sense of humor helps balance the otherworldly and the prosaic, making this a consistently rewarding novel," recommends Publishers Weekly.

Deemed "one of the most dynamic memoirs of the year" by The Boston Globe, Kiese Laymon's Heavy delves into his experience growing up poor and black in Jackson, Mississippi, including issues of race, class, sexuality, politics, and family dynamics. If you read one book this month, make it this one.

Barbara Kingsolver's compulsively readable novel ambitiously connects two families who occupied in the same brick house in different centuries—one presently and the other during the 19th century. Booklist calls it "an enveloping, tender, witty, and awakening novel of love and trauma, family and survival, moral dilemmas and intellectual challenges."

Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah's debut collection of stories divulges the injustice, violence, and everyday absurdities black people contend with in America. "This book is dark and captivating and essential," endorses Roxane Gay, author of Hunger. "This outstanding collection will make you hurt and demand your hope."

Set in 18th century France, Edward Carey's Little tells the tale of a talented wax sculptor who specializes in carving wax heads at a particular moment in history when heads were rolling—the French Revolution. You may recognize her name: Madame Tussaud. "Don't miss this eccentric charmer," author Margaret Atwood urged her followers on Twitter.

Described as a "brilliant mashup of The Nest and Crazy Rich Asians (with a soupçon of Arrested Development for good measure)" by author Cristina Alger, The Family Trust paints a sharp and witty portrait of a family shaped by the ambition of Silicon Valley. If you're looking for a novel that's got sizzle and substance, add Kathy Wong's novel to your to-read pile.

From the founder of the book club–turned-online community Well-Read Black Girl comes a collection of essays that underscore the importance of seeing yourself reflected in the literature you read. Featuring contributions by Jesmyn Ward, Morgan Jerkins, and Gabourey Sidibe, this anthology is well worth pre-ordering now.

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